As we ride into the holidays, we wish you all the magic and joy this season brings. Happy Holidays from the TTC!

Bloor-Yonge Station Capacity Improvements: Funding Announced

(From left to right) Image of the Hon. Stan Cho, Ontario’s Associate Minister of Transportation; TTC Chair John Burnside; the Hon. Caroline Mulroney, Ontario Minister of Transportation and Minister of Francophone Affairs; Hon. Chrystia Freeland, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the of Finance; TTC CEO Richard Leary; Mayor John Tory; MP Julie Dzerowicz, for Davenport; MPP Robin Martin, for Eglinton-Lawrence; the Hon. Dominic LeBlanc, Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs, Infrastructure and Communities; and Councillor Dianne Saxe, for University-Rosedale announcing the expansion of Bloor-Yonge Station

On December 9, TTC welcomed all our government partners to Davisville Carhouse for the formal announcement of their funding support for the Bloor-Yonge Capacity Improvements (BYCI) project. The Government of Canada, The Ontario Government and The City of Toronto announced joint funding of up to $1.5 billion for the expansion and rehabilitation of the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC)’s Bloor-Yonge Subway Station.

Bloor-Yonge Station will be expanded and rehabilitated to improve efficiency and capacity and reduce overcrowding during rush hours. Work will include the construction of a second platform on Line 2 for eastbound service, an expansion of the Line 1 northbound and southbound platforms, new elevators, escalators and stairs, and construction of a new accessible entrance and exit on Bloor Street East.

Once complete, this project will increase the station’s capacity and accessibility. These improvements will enable more Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area (GTHA) residents to use public transit to get to and from their destination, reduce gridlock on our roads, and help the TTC accommodate a projected growth in ridership. For further information, please go to our website.

Safety on the TTC

TTC staff were shocked and deeply saddened by the incident at the High Park Station. The thoughts of everyone at the TTC remain with the victims and their families, friends and loved ones at this difficult time.

The TTC moves hundreds of millions of customers every year without incident, but is constantly reviewing ways to improve safety. The TTC’s CEO Richard Leary, spoke to Toronto Police Chief James Ramer, and Mayor John Tory last week, about shared concerns over this incident and how public safety and security on transit can be enhanced. We have increased visible patrols of Special Constables on the subway system, and we will continue to work with Toronto Police Service to increase their presence across the system. TTC’s efforts to protect the safety of our customers and employees will continue and remains our top priority.

Some of the safety features and programs the TTC has in place include:

Cameras and emergency alarms in all stations and vehicles;
Two-way communications systems on platforms in the Designated Waiting Areas;
Uniformed staff throughout the system who can contact transit control directly to assist customers;
The SafeTTC app to report suspicious incidents in real time;
Our transit control centre has a direct line to 9-1-1 to respond to emergencies;
Modernizing our stations to add more cameras and have more staff visible to deter criminal acts.

We also recognize that the challenge before us is greater than enhancing security. To protect all on the TTC, the TTC’s Community Engagement Unit (CEU), in partnership with the City’s Streets to Homes staff, continues to assist individuals on the system who are under-housed, have mental health concerns or have addiction issues. Our team is working to bring sustainable solutions that benefit customers and other community stakeholders during these unprecedented times, which is crucial for the safety of customers and employees.

Holiday Shopping at the TTC

TTC Shop has many great gifts for the transit enthusiast in your life!

Haven’t finished your holiday shopping yet? Check out the TTC Shop! From TTC Gingerbread buses, to TTC Christmas tree ornaments, there is something for everyone this holiday season.

Visit ttcshop.ca to purchase these holiday gifts and other TTC memorabilia.

Getting Around on the TTC

TTC free on New Year’s Eve

The TTC is free from 7 p.m. December 31, 2022 until 8 a.m. January 1, 2023, courtesy of Corby Spirits and Wine. During this time, customers do not have to tap their PRESTO card, PRESTO Ticket or pay by cash, TTC ticket or token. Visit ttc.ca for more information and to plan your trip.

TTC Service Adjustments

On November 20, TTC made several service adjustments including seasonal adjustments and accommodation for construction activities on various routes. As well, further changes will occur starting December 25, 2022, including seasonal service reductions in effect from December 28 to 30, 2022, and from January 3 to 6, 2023 due to reduced customer demand on select routes during the holidays. Please view our website to learn more.

Career Opportunities

TTC Career Information Sessions

TTC and partner agencies are hosting career information sessions into 2023. By visiting the website, you can learn when these sessions are being held, the types of careers they will be highlighting and the partner agency that will be supporting these sessions. Please view the outreach calendar for more information.

TTC Connects: Women as Transit Operators

Photo of a bus operator in a mask driving a bus

We’re hiring!

“Women as Transit Operators” virtual information sessions will be taking place in the new year! To view previous sessions, please go to TTC Connects: Women As Transit Operators Event.

This special program to hire women as Transit Operators supports the TTC’s goal to continue building a workforce that reflects the great diversity of its customers. Since 50% of the GTA’s population is female, the TTC is reaching out to women to promote employment opportunities and diversify our staff. Ongoing work continues to make sure that we have a safe, supporting and welcoming workplace.

If you know someone who wants a rewarding career as a TTC Operator they can apply here.

Service Improvements and Upgrades

New PRESTO Readers Being Installed on TTC Buses and Streetcars

PRESTO is in the process of installing new readers on TTC buses and streetcars. It will take until the end of January 2023 to complete the installations.

The new readers are an important step in the TTC’s ongoing modernization efforts and will be future-ready for new customer-friendly services like open payment (credit/debit card and mobile device taps) when PRESTO makes that available on the TTC in 2023.

They are the same readers currently used by other transit agencies across the Greater Toronto Area, including GO Transit buses.

The readers have been replaced on Wheel-Trans vehicles and will be replaced on the fare gates in early 2023. For further information, please visit our website.

TTC MagnusCards

TTC is proud to support customers with neurodiverse needs through the MagnusCards app. The five card decks help riders understand fares and ride different vehicles. Find the TTC card Decks under the “Travel” category! Please click here to learn more.

Ridership this Week

As of December 17, 2022:

Bus ridership is at 75% of pre-COVID-19 levels.

System-wide revenue ridership is at 67% of pre-COVID levels.